april 16, 2012

i've been thinking lately about the difference between tearing vs. breaking and how that relates to the potential for mending a thing.

for example, a hard, rigid thing is more likely to snap or shatter and need some kind of intense bond (crazy glue, etc.) to bring the parts back together – if it's even possible. there's a kind of finality to breaking. often, there are several separate parts that need to be worked into wholeness again. it's more complicated: the edges are sharp and distinct and need to be puzzled together in a very particular way. the rigidity of form leads to limited options when it comes to putting something back together.

tears, in general, seem much more mendable. something softer and more flexible (like fabric) is likely to take the damage in a reparable way. there are more options as to how to bring the edges back together: patching, stitching, gluing, darning. there may be some delicate, compromised areas around the place where the tear happened, but there are ways to do a good, solid mend nonetheless. and, even if mending isn't possible, there's a chance it's still a functional thing, a pair of pants or a shirt or tights or whatever.

anyway, i'm thinking that all of this probably applies to relationships, as well. what doesn't bend, it breaks. and what breaks is harder to repair.